coho

noun

Etymology: The earlier spelling "cohose" was re-interpreted as a plural form (for a similar development, see pea). From Halkomelem.

1. An anadromus and semelparous salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch, found in the coastal regions of the northern Pacific Ocean, used as a symbol by several Native American tribes.

   “1996, Committee on Protection and Management of Pacific Northwest Anadromous Salmonids, National Research Council, Upstream: Salmon and Society in the Pacific Northwest, page 105, Overall, OCN coho constitute the largest aggregate of coho populations in the United States outside Alaska.”

   “Since 1965, an index live-count method has been used to annually estimate the number of coho salmon in the escapement to the Skagit River.”